$17K more needed for Round Lake Preserve project

Boat launch on Route 9 under construction

MALTA >> The town and village of Round Lake have been working with state Department of Environmental Conservation to build separate boat launches for motorized and non-motorized uses on Round Lake.

There is a long history of unsafe parking practices, as most cars were parked along Route 9, creating a traffic hazard and danger to the people parking there.

The new motorized boat launch on Route 9 is under construction by DEC and is expected to be completed by spring. In addition to the launch, eight to nine parking spots are being constructed.

“This will make for much safer parking conditions,” Supervisor Paul Sausville said.

A separate non-motorized launch and parking area within the preserve itself is still in the planning stages.

Parks and Recreation Director Audrey Ball informed the Malta Town Board at the Oct. 28 meeting that an additional $17,000 would be needed for archaeology work and geo-technical services from The LA Group, the engineering group that is working on the project. This will cause a slight delay to the project but should not hurt the project, Ball said.

She said the $17,000 is within the project budget and will not affect the final costs.

Planning for the project began in 2012 and was not without difficulties. A public workshop on the project was held in May of that year to address some of the concerns and get public feedback on the amenities that could be included in the project.

Some of the amenities proposed include nature walks, canoeing and kayaking, fishing, picnicking and environmental education.

One of the main points of contention was the location and configuration of the non-motorized launch and parking lot. Because it would be within the preserve itself, most agreed it should be as non-obtrusive as possible.

According to the town website, the Round Lake Preserve, once an approved subdivision for estate lots, is located along Round Lake and the Anthony Kill (a tributary to the Hudson River) in the town of Malta. With the assistance of a New York State Environmental Protection Fund grant, a Saratoga County Open Space grant, money from Malta’s Open Space and Recreation Preservation Reserve and a partnership with Saratoga P.L.A.N., 90 acres have been permanently preserved to protect key natural and archaeological resources in the town and its important watershed.

The town has a $400,000 matching grant to develop the boat launches and accompanying trails. The total cost for the project would be just over $800,000.

If not preserved, the land would have been cleared for residential development and degrade the floodplain, watershed and wildlife habitat. The property encompasses a prehistoric site that is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

From a natural resource perspective, the land contains a significant amount of wetlands, a large area of frontage along Round Lake and the Anthony Kill, woodlands, meadows and fields. From a recreational perspective, the preserve will provide public access to Round Lake and the Anthony Kill for non-motorized recreation uses and other recreational uses.